Department of Justice

St. Joseph Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Following Standoff with Officers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a St. Joseph, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally possessing a firearm following a 11-hour standoff with law enforcement officers.

Terrance T. Brown, 40, of St. Joseph, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Brown on Sept. 18, 2017.

The indictment alleges that Brown, having been convicted of a felony, was in possession of a Ruger 9mm pistol on Sept. 13, 2017.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Brown was arrested following a 11-hour standoff at his residence on Sept. 13, 2017. Officers with the St. Joseph Police Department and the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department established a perimeter around the residence. After several minutes, three individuals (including a juvenile) came out of the residence, but Brown – who was armed with a handgun – remained inside. Officers with the Special Response Team used portable cameras to locate Brown in the attic of the residence. Eventually, Brown surrendered to officers and was arrested as he left the residence. The loaded Ruger 9mm pistol with an extended magazine was found during a search of the attic. Officers also found an empty box of Smith & Wesson .40-caliber ammunition.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brown has a prior federal conviction in the District of Kansas for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Brown has two prior felony convictions for robbery in Wyandotte County, Kan., as well as prior felony convictions for aggravated assault and criminal possession of a firearm. Brown is currently under supervision by Missouri Probation and Parole for felony drug possession in Jackson County, Mo.

Larson cautioned that the charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Joseph, Mo., Police Department and the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line athttp://www.justice.gov/wdmo